333
The Agony of the Church in Tezas, 1821-1836
chaplain of tfoops in Matamoros indicates that the charges were found to be groundless. 59 It was with reluctance, be it noted, that Colonel Piedras converted the parish church into barracks. He hastened to inform the authorities that he had been compelled to take this step. Administrator Lobo stoutly protested to Musquiz the seizure of the church the moment he heard of it and demanded its evacuation. After giving assurances to Lobo that the situation would be remedied, Musquiz hurriedly ordered the removal of the troops to other quarters. Colonel Piedras replied that while he realized the necessity of evacuating the church, he could do nothing for the present, and that the only solution he could see was either to build new barracks or erect a new church. In protesting the seizure of the church, Lobo took occasion to inform Musquiz that he had learned that many couples in Nacogdoches had been married only civilly and that many children had not been baptized. He reminded Musquiz that marriage, to be valid, had to be witnessed and blessed by a priest. .He urged that all the children be baptized according to the rite of the Roman Catholic Church. Musquiz, early in 1829, wrote Colonel Piedras and the Alcalde in Nacogdoches that since the Sacraments are within the jurisdiction of the Church, and since matrimony is one of the Sacraments, all marriages had to be wit- nessed and blessed by a duly ordained minister of the Church.to Small wonder that Father Galindo· was so warmly welcomed by the settlers. as well as the garrison, who were greatly relieved by the opportunity afforded them to fulfill their .religious obligations. The Norris house needed to be replaced by a church or chapel. The garrison was unable to vacate the old church for lack of barracks and the government had no money to build barracks or aid in the construc- tion of a new church. The people, therefore, organized a Junta Piadosa in January, 1831, to raise funds locally for building a new church and a primary school. A public appeal was made for general participation in the drive and individuals were canvassed to make voluntary con- tributions. These donations were listed, and although more than two hundred dollars was raised by 1832, work on the new church was 59 Nacogdoches County Deed Records, Volume D, pp. 69-70; Blake, Documents, 3; Erasmo Seguin to .Mier y Teran, May 6, 1830; Jose de las Piedras to Mier y Teran, June 21, 1830, Be:rar Arc/rives. 60 .Mateo Ahumada to General Bustamante, April 1, 1827: Musquiz to Leon Lobo, January 4, 1829; .Musquiz to Alcalde, January 7, 1829; Piedras to Jose Ignacio Ybarbo, March 1 5, 1829; Vicente Cordova to Musquiz, June 7, 1830, Be:rar Arcliives.
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